I arrived in America on the fifth day, or candle, of Chanukah. On Friday, the sixth candle of Chanukah, twenty brilliantly shining six-year-old candles were ruthlessly snuffed out and six adults valiantly gave their lives trying to save the children. May all their memories be a blessing to us all.
What has happened to mankind? What a horrible end to such a troubling year – a year that saw deadly earthquakes, monstrous hurricanes, the “Arab Spring” that brought upheavals and the loss of many lives in the Arab world.
But Americans were slapped even harder – by an absolutely senseless atrocity. A son murders his mother and goes on a murderous rampage, with no motive to be found as we approach the agrarian New Year.
Let us all say what we Jews pray on the night of Rosh Hashanah: “May the old year and its curses end and a new year of blessing begin.”
I want to thank all my sponsors and everyone at The Jewish Press, Heshy Frank of Quality Carpet, and of course Zev Brenner, my boss at Talkline, for my successful trip and for giving me another reason to be jolly. Happy New Year, America!